Box with readily attachable end closure



' Feb. 28, 1956 J. G. RABBY BOX WITH READILY ATTACHABLE END CLOSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 20, 1952 INVENTOR. f05PH ciz EN/v 2455) ATTORNEYS Feb. 28, 1956- J. G. RABBY 2,736,485

BOX WITH READILY ATTACI-IABLE END CLOSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 1952 INVENTOR. J'OJEPH 6L e/v/v 2455 Afi'oRA/EX:

United States P tent BOX WITH READILY ATTACHAlE LE END CLOSURE Joseph Glenn Rabby, Jacksonville, Fla, assignor to National Container CorporatiomNew York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 20, 1952 Serial No. 294,538

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-23) The present invention relates to a container structure in which the end closure is separable from and readily and securely attachable to the container body, the attaching structure being such as to permit assembly wholly from the outside of the container body and without distortion of the container body or of the end closure.

It is often desired to form the body and the end closures of a container from separate blanks, those separate blanks being shipped and stored flat and then assembled and erected at the point and at the time of use. Containers of this type generally suffer from the drawback that the end closures are secured to the container body with only a moderate strength unless extremely cumbersome and complicated attachment means are provided. This is an exceedingly significant matter, particularly when the bottom end wall of the container is thus constructed, since the means employed for attaching that wall to the container body is called uponto withstand the full weight of the contents of a container. Another drawback previously considered to be inherent in this type of structure is that after certain portions of the periphery of the end closure have been secured to the container body the attachment of the remainder of the end closure becomes increasingly ditficult, and indeed generally involves distortion ofthe container body or the end closure before such attachment can be realized, that distortion. obviously and necessarily weakening the completed structure. As a result the end closures, and particularly the bottom end closure, of most containers are defined at least in part by flapsintegral with or otherwise more or less permanently secured tothe side walls of the container body. Such flap structures often involve an excessive. use of structural material, and the flaps themselves, when folded to their closing position, must be secured in that position in some way so as to resist the weight of the contents of the container. Flap closures are'most widely used in containers of rectangular cross section, but when other cross sectional shapes are involved, the use of flaps becomes less desirable because of the diificulty involved in properly shaping the flaps so as to efliciently close the container end. Even when separate end closures have in the past been employed with containers of non-rectangular cross section the problemsinvolved in securing the end closures to the container body generally multiply as the numberof container sides increases.

According to the present-invention the container body and the end closure therefor are so designed that the two can be securedtogetherina rapid and simple manner nomatter what the crosssectional shape of the container, the attachment can be accomplished wholly from the outside of the container body, the attaching means are so designed as to impart maximum strength to the assembled container and thus permit it to be, employed for the carrying of heavy weights,-locking means are pro- 7 vided to prevent disengagement of the attaching means,

and the container'elements may be formed from blanks with a minimum of waste and in a highly eflicient man- "ice 1 2 ner. The invention is here disclosed in conjunction with a container having a regular hexagonal cross section, but it will be appreciated that other cross sectional shapes, both regular and irregular, could be employed, and that the structure of the present invention is readily adaptable thereto.

To this end the container body, when erected, is provided with slots in its side walls positioned close to the edges of the end to be closed. The end closure is defined by a wall of a size and shape such as to close said container end, and that wall is provided with flaps adapted to be bent up therefrom around fold lines so as to extend over the outer surface of the slotted container walls up to the slots therein. Securing tabs are foldably attached to these flaps and .are readily bendable so as to pass through the slots and thus hold the end closure on the container body. Locking tabs are preferably foldably attached to the securing tabs, being movable to a position alongside the securing tabs so as to pass through the slots and then springing through their own inherent resiliency to a position remote from the securing tabs, the size of the slots being such that when the locking tabs are in their first mentioned position with respect to the securing tabs they can pass through the slots but when the locking tabs are in their second mentioned position they cannot pass through the slots; In this way the locking and securing tabs can be passed through the slots from the outside of the container to the'interior thereof, and when the locking tab has fully passed through the slot it will automatically spring out to its angular position and then will positively prevent withdrawal of the securing tab. In the preferred embodiment, the securing tab, while it is received within the slot, is perpendicular to the end edge of the container body. Hence the weight of the contents of the container, acting via the end closure wall on the securing tab, is resisted by the securing tab in the direction of its length rather than in thedirection of its thickness. In this way maximum securing strength is attained. The securingtab-locking tab combination not only attaches the end closure to the container body, but also serves to hold the end closure flaps close against the outer surface of the container body walls, thus imparting a neat and pleasing appearance to the container. In addition,- the locking flap may be so designed that because of its tendency to spring out from the securing tab, it will, when once partially inserted through the slot, engage and cooperate with the slot edge-so as to ensure completepenetration' of the slot by the locking tab.

To the accomplishment of the above, and to-su'ch other objects as-m'ay hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to a container structure as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification, taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the blank from which the container body isconstructed;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the blank from which the bottom endclosure is formed;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the blank from which the topend closure is formed;

Fig. 4' is a three-quarter perspective View, partially broken away, showing thecontainer body in erected condition;

Fig. 5 is a similar view but showing the bottom end closure in the process of being secured thereto;

Fig. 6 is a similar but fragmentary view showing the top end closure in the process of being attached thereto;

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the box in completely assembled condition, with both end closures fully attached;

Fig. 8 across sectional View taken along the line 8-'8 of Fig'f 4;

Fig. 9 is a similar view but showing a securing tab and locking tab partially inserted through a slot in the container wall;

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing the securing tab and locking tab completely inserted through the slot; and

Fig. 12 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 1212 of Fig. 11.

The container body, generally designated 2, and as here specifically disclosed defining a tubular casing having a regular hexagonal cross section and having open lower and upper ends 4 and 6 respectively, is formed from the blank shown in Fig. 1, that blank being defined by a plurality of side wall panels 8 and 8' foldably connected together at their side edges by means of fold lines 10, one panel having a flap 12 foldably attached thereto by means of fold line 14 and adapted, when the blank is erected to form the container body as shown in Fig. 4, to overlap the wall panel 8 at the other end of the blank and to be secured thereto by means of stitching or the like 16.

Each of the panels 8 and 8' are provided, near their lower end edges, with a pair of spaced and preferably vertically disposed slots 18. The panels 8 are also provided with a pair of similar spaced slots 20 near their upper end edges. The container body 2 is shown erected in Fig.4, but it is obvious that even after the flap 12 has been secured in place by means of the stitching 16 the container body may be collapsed by folding along any pair of diametrically opposed fold lines 10, so that the container body, after having been stitched, may be transported and stored in fiat.

The bottom end closure, generally designated 22, is formed from a blank shown in Fig. 2. That blank comprises a wall 24 of a size and shape such as to cover the lower end 4 of the container body 2, the periphery of the wall 24 corresponding closely to the cross sectional size and shape of the container body 2 and being defined by the fold lines 26 which connect flaps 28 thereto, each of these flaps being here shown as having a length equal to the length of the container panels 8 and 8 and having a height sufiicient to register with the slots 18 in those panels 8 and 8 when the flaps 28 are bent around the fold lines 26 so as to extend upwardly along the outer surfaces of the panels 8 and 8', as shown in Fig. 5. The flaps 28 have end portions 30 the limits of the length of which are defined by fold lines 32 by which the securing tabs 34 are fastened to the tabs 28. The length of the flap end portions 30 is substantially equal to the spacing between the pair of slots 18 on a given panel 8, the fold lines 32 being positioned substantially in line with and registering with the slots 18. The securing tabs 34 are separated from the remainder of the flaps 28 by means of cuts 36, and hence may readily be folded about the fold lines 32 so as to extend at right angles to the flaps 28 and project into the slots 18.

Locking tabs 38 are secured to the securing tabs 34 by means of fold lines 40, those fold lines being here shown as perpendicular to the fold lines 32. The lockmg tabs 38 may be bent around the fold lines 40 so as to lie alongside the securing tabs 34, and the slots 18 are so shaped as to permit the passage therethrough of the securing tab 34 and locking tab 38 when in that position alongside one another, hereinafter termed their adjacent position. However, because of the inherent reslliency of the material from which the blank is formed the locking tab 38 will tend to spring out to a position angularly related to or in line with, and preferably perpend1cular to, the securing tab 34, hereinafter termed their remote position, the size of the slot 18 being sufiiciently small so that when the locking tab 38 has thus sprung to its normal remote position, the securing tablOCklIlg tab combination cannot then. be withdrawn f om the slot 18. In order for this result to be achieved the length, as measured in a direction perpendicular to the fold line 32, of the locking tab 38 is less than the length of the securing tab 34 by a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the panel 8. (See Figs. 912.) It will be'noted that any force tending to fold the fiap 28 downwardly or to otherwise withdraw the securing tab 34 from the slot 18 will be resisted by the locking tab 38 in the direction of its width and not in the direction of its thickness, thus ensuring that such force will be resisted with maximum strength.

Because of the fact that the slots 18 are vertical and the securing tabs 34 are correspondingly oriented, the weight of the contents of the container as exerted on the end closure wall 24 Will be transmitted by that wall via the flaps 28 to the securing tabs 34, thus drawing the securing tabs 34 vertically downward within the slots 18 and into engagement with the lower edges of those slots. The weight of the contents of the container will thus be exerted on the securing tabs 34 in the direction of their width and not in the direction of their thickness, and consequently, for a given type and strength of material employed, maximum weight-lifting capacity will be imparted to the assembled container.

It will be noted particularly from Figs. 9, 10 and 11 that the outer trailing corner of the locking flap 40 is cut away so as to define a cam surface 42 engageable with a side edge of the slot 18 as the securing tab 34 and locking tab 38 are inserted through the slot. Because of the tendency of the securing tab 38 to spring to its angularly related position, the angling or cut-away corner surface 42 will, after the tabs have been inserted part way through the slot 18, engage with the inner portion of the side edge of the slot 18, the angularity of the corner surface 42 being such that the tendency of the locking tab 38 to spring outwardly will result in a cam action tending to cause the tabs to penetrate further through the slot 18. Hence after the tabs have once been manually partially positioned through the slots the tendency of the locking tab 38 to spring to its angularly related position will assist in ensuring complete penetration and locking action of the locking tab 38.

The top end closure, generally designated 44, may be formed from the blank shown in Fig. 3. This blank may be identical with that employed for the bottom end closure 22, but since the top end closure 44 need not be secured to the container with as much strength, only two flaps 28 are secured to the Wall 24 by means of fold lines 26, the other fold lines 26' connecting flaps 46 of abbreviated height to the wall 24, those flaps being adapted to be bent down around the panels 8 (which are not provided with slots 20) and which may be held in that position in any suitable manner, as through the use of adhesive, tape or the like. The flaps 28 are arranged to fold down over the outside of the panels 8', which are provided with the slots 20, and the locking tabs 34 and securing tabs 38 on the flaps 28 of the top end closure 44 are adapted to enter the slots 20 in the same manner as previously described with respect to the bottom end closure 22.

By the construction above described a container is produced which may be shipped and stored in flat and which is composed of a body and one or more separate end closures. When the container is to be used its body is readily erectable and its bottom end closure may be readily secured thereto at as many points as desired and in a simple and easily accomplished manner. The securement of the end closure to the body is accomplished entirely from the exterior of the body, and without in any way having to distort any structural portion of the body or the end-covering Wall of the enclosure. The attaching structure is so designed as to impart maximum strength for the material used, both as regards supporting the weight of the contents of the container and preventing accidental withdrawal or disengagement of the attaching means,

While but a single embodiment of the present invention has been here described, it will be apparent that many variations may be made therein as to size, shape, number and location of flaps, tabs and slots, and the like, all without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A box comprising an open-ended tubular casing having at least one open end and an end closure therefor, said tubular casing comprising wall panels connected at their side edges and having end edges at said open end, some of said panels being provided with a pair of spaced slots substantially equally spaced from and substantially perpendicular to an end edge thereof and positioned close to the side edges thereof, spaced from one another by a distance which is a major fraction of the distance between said side edges, said end closure comprising a wall of a size to close the open end of said casing, flaps foldably connected to said wall and adapted to fold up alongside the outer surface of said slotted panels, said flaps having body portions the length of which is greater than the distance between the slots on said panels and having end portions of a length substantially equal to the spacing between said slots and substantially rigidly connected to said body portions so as not to be readily bendable relative thereto, securing tabs foldably secured to opposite end edges of said flap end portions and separated from adjacent parts of said flap body portions by cuts substantially parallel to the length of said body portions so as to be foldable with respect thereto along lines registering with said slots, the length of said securing tabs in a direction parallel to the length of said flap end portions being substantially equal to the distance between said foldlines and the ends of said flap body portions, whereby the combined lengths of said securing tabs and said end flap portions are substantially equal to the length of said flap body portions, and locking tabs foldably attached to said securing tabs along lines angularly related to the foldlines between said securing tabs and said flap end portions, said locking tabs extending from said securing tabs in a direction away from said flap body portions, said locking tabs normally assuming a position remote from said securing tabs but being bendable to a temporary position substantially parallel to and alongside said securing tabs, the length of said locking tabs in a direction parallel to the length of said securing tabs being less than the length of said securing tabs by a distance at least equal to the thickness of said slotted panels, and said slots having a width substantially equal to the combined thicknesses of a locking tab and a securing tab, said securing tabs being passable through said slots from outside to inside of said casing when said locking tabs are in said temporary position, said locking tabs passing completely through said casing slots and springing to their normal position, thus preventing withdrawal of said securing tabs from said slots.

2. A box comprising an open-ended tubular casing having at least one open end and an end closure therefor, said tubular casing comprising wall panels connected at their side edges and having end edges at said open end, some of said panels being provided with a pair of spaced slots substantially equally spaced from and substantially perpendicular to an end edge thereof and positioned close to the side edges thereof, spaced from one another by a distance which is a major fraction of the distance between said side edges, said end closure comprising a wall of a size to close the open end of said casing, flaps foldably connected to said wall and adapted to fold up alongside the outer surface of said slotted panels, said flaps having body portions the length of which is substantially the same as the width of said slotted panels and having end portions of a length substantially equal to the spacing between said slots and substantially rigidly connected to said body portions so as not to be readily bendable relative thereto and having a width substantially equal to the height of said slots, securing tabs foldably secured to 6 opposite end edges of said flap end portions and separated from adjacent parts of said 'ilap body portions by cuts substantially parallel to the length of said body portions so as to be foldable with respect thereto along lines registering with said slots, the length of said securing tabs in a direction parallel to the length of said flap end portions being substantially equal to the distance between said foldlines and the ends of said flap body portions, whereby the combined lengths of said securing tabs and said end flap portions are substantially equal to the length of said flap body portions, and locking tabs foldably attached to said securing tabs along lines angularly related to the foldlines between said securing tabs and said flap end portions, said locking tabs extending from said securing tabs in a direction away from said flap body portions, said locking'tabs normally assuming a position remote from said securing tabs but being bendable to a temporary position substantially parallel to and alongside said securing tabs, the length of said locking tabs in a direction parallel to the length of said securing tabs being less than the length of said securing tabs by a distance at least equal to the thickness of said slotted panels, and said slots having a width substantially equal to the combined thicknesses of a locking tab and a-securing tab, said securing tabs being passable through said slots from outside to inside of said casing when said locking tabs are in said temporary position, said locking tabs passing completely through said casing slots and springing to their normal position, thus preventing withdrawal of said securing tabs from said slots.

3. A box comprising an openended tubular casing having at least one open end and an end closure therefor, said tubular casing comprising wall panels connected at their side edges and having end edges at said open end, some of said panels being provided with a pair of spaced slots substantially equally spaced from and substantially perpendicular to an end edge thereof and positioned close to the side edges thereof, spaced from one another by a distance which is a major fraction of the distance between said side edges, said end closure comprising a wall of a size to close the open end of said casing, flaps foldably connected to said wall and adapted to fold up alongside the outer surface of said panels, said flaps having body portions the length of which is not substantially greater than the width of said slotted panels, the end edges of said flap body portions being exposed, said flaps having end portions of a length substantially equal to the spacing between said slots and substantially rigidly connected to said body portions so as not to be readily bendable relative thereto, securing tabs foldably secured to opposite end edges of said flap end portions so as to be foldable with respect thereto along lines registering with said slots, and locking tabs foldably attached to said securing tabs along lines angularly related to the foldlines between said securing tabs and said flap end portions and extending from said securing tabs in a direction away from said flap body portions, said locking tabs normally assuming a position remote from said securing tabs but being bendable to a temporary position substantially parallel to and alongside said securing tabs, the length of said locking tabs in a direction parallel to the length of said securing tabs being less than the length of said securing tabs by a distance at least equal to the thickness of said slotted panels, and said slots having a width substantially equal to the combined thicknesses of a locking tab and a securing tab, said securing tabs being passable through said slots from outside to inside of said casing when said locking tabs are in said temporary position, said locking tabs passing completely through said casing slots and springing to their normal condition, thus preventing withdrawal of said securing tabs from said slots and retaining said flaps alongside the outer surface of said slotted panels.

4. The box of claim 3, in which the body portions of said flaps have a length substantially the same as the width of said slotted panels, and in which the length of said securing tabs in a direction parallel to the length of said flap end portions is substantially equal to the distance from the end edges of said flap body portions to the foldlines connecting said securing tabs to said flap end portions, whereby the combined lengths of said securing tabs and said flap end portions are substantially equal to the length of said flap body portions and to the width of said wall panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

